Apple and Consumer Behavior

Wall Street Journal Activity - Jane McMillan In his WSJ article “How Steve Jobs Changesd the World” author Andy Kessler gives a synopsis on the

evolution of the Apple under the control of Steven Jobs. He highlights how the Company came to be what it is and what drove the development of this iconic brand. He covers topics including: The advent of personal computing; Design aesthetics, Design influences, Price verses wants and needs; Computers as tools; Computers for entertainment; The Apple business model; Product innovation; Apple sustainability I will attempt to establish how the preceding topics and the success of the Apple brand correlates with basic consumer behavior.

I agree with Kessler in that all personal computers and telecommunications devices are essentially the same – made from plastics, transistors, displays, memory and processors. Steven Jobs differentiated functionality with an emphasis on user experience. Apple by developing a comprehensive line of products that integrated hi-touch aesthetic form with hi-tech

Jobs’ was driven by his personal need to anthropomorphize Apple products, and did not give up on his vision until his designers and developers gave him exactly what he wanted. As a result, Jobs succeeded in creating a whole family of products perceived as extensions of ourselves that play into our sensory systems on several levels. When we use an apple device we experience an intuitive relationship at a cognitive level through a GUI (Graphical user Interface) operating system; The visually sophisticated graphics are universally appealing and enhance the user experience with simple and recognizable iconography.

Utilizing aesthetic and ergonomic industrial design principles based on size, shape, proportion, clean line quality craftsmanship. Distinctive sounds cues designed to be pleasing and minimal, create a touch responce that reinforces the sensory relationship with functional mechanisms.

and texture –when setting on a desk or